Uncle Hikigaya is Forever Young [22]

Around three in the afternoon, Hikigaya Ryōhei finally decided to end today’s bookstore tour.

After all, the straps of his backpack were biting into his shoulders, giving him the illusion that his arms might drop off any second.

Middle-aged uncles really couldn’t compete with youngsters, huh?

Besides, books were heavier than ordinary goods—in all sorts of ways.

But he was satisfied with today's haul.

He'd spent much less money than expected, probably due to the ongoing economic recession, both domestically and globally, which had severely dampened the secondhand book market.

After all, many people like Ryōhei had been knocked back to reality by the economic crisis—when you couldn’t even fucking afford food, who had the energy to read books? Yet the white-collar leisure class happened to be the main consumer of various books.

On his way here, Ryōhei had noticed more than one bookstore had shut down.

Not that he had time to care about the store owners' cries; after all, it meant he'd saved a big chunk of his budget.

Apart from picking up a full set of middle-school history textbooks and reference materials at bargain prices, he'd still had enough money to buy some fascinating historical titles.

As a history teacher from his previous life, now finding himself in a world-line divergence, his thirst for knowledge was impossible to suppress.

The Evolution of Modern Military Equipment.

Great Powers’ Arms Limitations.

...

He'd also grabbed a few interesting biographies and novels, like The Man in the High Castle, Only a Chūnibyō Could Become a General, and The Birth of Blue Mermaids.

...

Then there were some historical materials that, in Ryōhei's eyes, likely had something to do with the divergence in world history, such as Chronicles of Major International Events.

...

"I'll head back after finishing this last bookstore."

He’d said he’d go home around three, but as a true bibliophile, walking through a bookstore district meant making painfully slow progress.

Leaving Jimbochō, he'd inadvertently stopped at two extra bookstores. By the time this middle-aged uncle snapped out of his book-induced daze, it was already around four or five.

This last bookstore was different from others along the street. Apart from selling books, it had also opened up a small reading salon upstairs, a few dozen square meters in size, providing a dedicated space for book lovers to gather and chat.

There seemed to be quite a few people there!

That was what had drawn Ryōhei’s attention. This bookstore was pretty well-managed.

Regardless of whether they sold more books, at least they drew a solid crowd.

Climbing the slightly creaky wooden staircase, the perfectly ordinary Hikigaya Ryōhei dragged his heavy backpack upstairs.

Alright—actually, he just wanted to find somewhere to sit for a bit before heading home.
His feet really ached right now... and it’d take nearly an hour to get home from here!

Recently, Hikigaya Ryōhei had been diligently exercising every morning, and his physical condition had noticeably improved. But this body must have neglected exercise for far too long while being obsessed with work in the past, as there was still some stubborn fat around his belly.

Still, he didn't look as greasy as before; Ryōhei now looked far more pleasing to himself in the mirror.

Aside from the exercise, this might also be attributed to his improved mental state.

“…The recent economic crisis, yet zaibatsu and big corporations haven’t restrained themselves one bit…”

A melodious, charming girl's voice, with a penetrating clarity that seemed to speak straight to the heart, floated from the tea area upstairs where a small gathering seemed underway.

Just hearing that nightingale-like voice, one's mind would instantly jump to: "This girl must be beautiful."

Ryōhei had just turned his gaze that way, but upon hearing those words, he immediately turned back downstairs.

No way!

Listen to that—was that something you could just say out loud?! This was still Japan, a Japan that hadn’t been ‘educated’ by Daddy America—weren’t the Special Higher Police still around in this timeline?!

He instantly realized it was probably some bored young people, chatting carelessly.

And a girl at that!

Why choose politics of all things to dabble in?

Ryōhei only glimpsed her from behind: long, shimmering blonde hair cascading down smoothly like a waterfall of spun gold, bathing her shoulders like sunlight.

She must’ve been a beauty.

Probably a university student?

But after catching just a glimpse of her blonde hair, Ryōhei decisively turned around and descended.

As a middle-aged man, he fully understood: in situations like these, it was always wiser to listen less and leave quickly.

Sorry!

The adult world was this cautious and boring.

...

The next morning, dragging his heavy body out of bed and rubbing his sore shoulders that felt like rusty hinges, Hikigaya Ryōhei went out for his morning exercise.

He heated up the leftover midnight snack from last night, ate hurriedly, and headed out to his convenience store job.

At a distant, elegantly furnished, warmly decorated luxury apartment…

Kitahara Haruki rested his chin on one hand, a gentle smile on his face as he gazed affectionately at the beautiful woman still sleeping beside him. Her fair, swan-like neck was alluringly tinged with blush, but even more eye-catching were the lingering kiss marks he’d left on her neck and graceful shoulders last night.

Lately, they'd been living together like a married couple.

Both adults, after all. And since they'd tasted that sweet forbidden fruit over a decade ago, everything now felt natural, like it had always been meant to be.

The two seemed to have mutually agreed to forget certain things, instead grasping firmly onto this small but certain happiness.

Her beautifully cut, silky black hair was spread carelessly over the pillow. Unable to resist, Haruki leaned closer, gently inhaling her scent.

Kazusa’s fragrance was intoxicating.

This is the woman I truly love.

Feeling deeply moved, Kitahara Haruki reached out with his slightly rough hands, wrapping them around Kazusa’s youthful, carefully maintained body from behind, pulling her naked figure snugly against his own.

Their two hearts seemed to melt into one.

The beauty in his arms stirred awake, returning Haruki's affectionate gaze with a gentle smile.

The warmth of their embrace gave her a profound sense of fulfillment and belonging.

Just as the atmosphere was turning sweet, a loud "bang, bang, bang" at the door—not knocking, but kicking—shattered their peace.

Exchanging startled looks, both instantly understood what was conveyed in each other's eyes.

It's either Setsuna… or Hikigaya…

Kazusa's face turned visibly gloomy.

After a full minute, the violent banging stopped, only to be replaced by the incessant ringing of the doorbell.

Ultimately, Kitahara Haruki braced himself, put on his clothes, and opened the door.

“Setsuna… w-why are you here?”

He spoke with clear difficulty, a mixture of guilt, relief, and resignation flashing across his expression.

---

A/N: Setsuna’s counterattack! A gentle, kind-hearted girl who suddenly flips (blackens) would definitely be scary!

Of course, the main focus of this book remains the girl-and-uncle relationship, though I don't reject married women.

Since Setsuna doesn’t have children with Haruki according to this setting, she’s not strictly a married woman. The story's first true married woman is coming soon—guess who?

T/N: i think ill just add the authors notes everytime now

This is a fan translation of 比企谷大叔永远年轻 by Stargazer All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!